Yesterday morning unknown gunmen
kidnapped Maher Hassouna from Gaza City. His body was later found in the area of
the evacuated settlements in Khan Yunis.
PCHR’s preliminary investigation
indicates that at approximately 15:00 on Tuesday, 4 December 2007, shots were
heard in the land previously occupied by the settlement of Nitzar Hazani.
Several people investigated the area of the shooting. They found a body with
gunshot marks and the eyes bound. In addition, they saw a black jeep leaving the
area. The people who found the body contacted the police, who arrived and took
the body to Naser Hospital in Khan Yunis. It was then transferred to the
forensic department at Shifa Hospital in Gaza, where the body was identified as
that of Maher Mohammad Ahmad Hassouna (46) from Gaza City. He was the owner of
Hassouna Accounting Firm. He was killed by 6 bullets to the head and chest. The
police found a note reading “we are from several families, and have executed
Hassouna for violating honor.” It is noted that masked gunmen kidnapped Hassouna
from Naser Quarter in Gaza City at 11:30 on the same day.
The police announced opening an
investigation into the crime.
PCHR is very concerned over the
continued falling of victims as a result of the security chaos plaguing the OPT.
The Centre calls upon the PNA, represented by the Attorney-General, to seriously
investigate these crimes, to prosecute the perpetrators, and to take effective
steps to prevent their recurrence.
